Primate Wyszyński’s Message to Students

Abstract

The subject of the article is the teaching of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, the Primate of Poland, addressed to young people, especially students of the Catholic University of Lublin. The analyses are based on the selected texts of speeches (and other documents) that Wyszyński addressed to the community of the Catholic University of Lublin, starting in 1946, when he was appointed bishop of Lublin, and ending in 1980, just before his death. As a result of the philological analysis of Wyszyński’s most important statements, it should be concluded that his message to students is an original pedagogy: full of heart, goodness, kindness and faith in other people. Wyszyński’s attitude is of a concerned and demanding father who really wishes for his “children” (“a tribe of new people”) to get not only a reliable education, but also life wisdom, and strong moral backbone, so that they can serve their neighbours and the homeland. In his teaching, Wyszyński presents a holistic vision of a young person – a student. This vision includes both their education and upbringing – understood as an integral combination of natural values (abilities, talents, qualities of spirit and body) with supernatural values, i.e. self-improvement for the sake of The One who should always be the Way, the Truth and the Life for young people and for all humanity. Wyszyński believed that the diplomas obtained by young people would wisely serve their homeland for a long time. Due to moral relativism, the crisis in the education of children and young people and the abandonment of Christian values, his speeches take on special significance today. Therefore, based on a solid, humanistic foundation, on the lasting categories of truth, good, beauty, solidarity and usefulness, the Primate’s educational message can be of use to the teacher who will effectively reach the hearts and minds of his students. He will equip them with complete knowledge and bring them closer to spiritual values and the Truth.